Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Breading the eggplant in bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese gives you not only nutty, cheesy flavor, but also crunchy texture. No need to pan-fry! Simply transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet, and pop them in a hot oven so you can get the rest of dinner done. Once our eggplant and sauce are ready to go, we quickly layer them with creamy mozzarella, and bake for a mere 20 minutes. Bubbling, gooey, and brimming with big flavor, this Italian classic should not be missed!

Print Recipe

Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

Author: The Perfect Portion

Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals

Makes: 9 Lunch or 6 Dinner portions

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 large eggplants
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 batch Tuscan Tomato Sauce (see page 249)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and spray 2 sheet pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Peel the eggplants, and slice into ½-inch-thick discs.
In a wide bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a separate wide bowl, combine the Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then the bread crumb mixture, fully coating on both sides. Transfer the breaded eggplant to the prepared sheet pans.
Bake the breaded eggplant for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
As the eggplant is baking, prepare the Tuscan Tomato Sauce (page 249) according to the recipe’s directions. Cover, and let sit over warm heat.
Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 2 cups of the Tuscan Tomato Sauce at the bottom of the baking dish. Top with ½ of the breaded eggplant, then 2 more cups of the tomato sauce, and finally ½ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of eggplant, sauce, and then cheese.
In preheated oven (400˚F), bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly hot. For 100 calorie portions, slice into 18 sections by cutting 3 rows by 6 rows.